Bottle-corking machine.



PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. I

W. E. BROWN. BOTTLE GORKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l2, 1904.

UNITED STATES Patented January 8, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIAM E. BROWN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO FREDERICK VVINSTANLEY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

BOTTLE-CORKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,347, dated January 3, 1905. Application led May l2, 1904. Serial No. 207,712.

To all whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. BROWN, of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Bottle-Corking Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to enable a single corking-machine to be used for corking bottles with corks of different sizes, but a mini-V mum number of parts being employed for this purpose.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation ofa corking-machine equipped with my improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on line 2 2, Fig. l, the die and the shifted position ofthe compressor-rollers being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the compressorroller frame. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the plunger and the frame. Fig. 5 shows the parts of the plunger detached.

Referring' to the drawings, l designates the stand or column, which may be of any preferred form of construction, as may be also the means for holding the bottles in position while being' corked, as well as the means for compressing the corks. The latter embodies a horizontally-movable die 2, the movements whereof are controlled by the'lowering and raising of a lever 3.

4 designates the compressor-frame mounted upon column l and adjustable horizontally thereon. It lits in a guideway rigidly secured to or formed with the front of the column and may be readily shifted longitudinally of its guideway by pressure against either end, stops 6 limiting its endwise travel. Wvithin the frame are mounted three compressor-rolls, the spaces between the center roll 7 and the end rolls' 8 being unequal, so that corks of different sizes may be readily compressed between adjacent rolls. It will be noted by reference to Figs. 2 and 3 that there is a greater 50 distance between the right-hand roll and the center roll than between the latter and the lefthand roll. A corresponding difference eXists in the sizes of the entrance-openings 9 in the top of the frame and also in the circular ouletopenings l() in the bottom thereof. By shifting the compressor-frame either to the right or to the left one of the compressor-spaces is brought into line with the compressor-die. Thereupon by manipulating the lever 3 the die will be 60 forced into the space between two of the rolls and effect the compressing of the cork. At the same time the plunger 12 will be lowered so as to force the cork downwardly through its outlet-opening'. This plunger l2 is adaptable to 65 both compressor-spaces-that is to say, will effect the forcing' outwardly of corks of differentsizes. Then employed in conjunction with corks of larger size, the plunger presents an exterior appearance of uniform diameter, so as to readilyconform to the space allowed for such corks. l When, however, the compressorframe is shifted so as to position the narrower space or opening beneath the plunger, asleeve 18 is removed from the latter by the with- 75 drawal of a key 14E, the reduced diameter of the plunger accommodating the latter to the opening or space for the smaller corks. The key lla is shown in the form of an ordinary cotter-pin, which maybe readily removed and re- 8O placed and which securely retains the inclosing sleeve 13 against the flange l5 adjacent the thread 16. The plunger is adjustable by the turning of a nut 1T on the thread.

The advantages of my invention are appar- 8 5 ent. It will be seen that by means thereof a single machine may be employed for working corks of different sizes without any unnecessary multiplicity of parts. The cork-compressing frame may be readily shifted from right to left, or vice versa, and in either positionis in line with the cork-compressing die as well as with the suspended plunger. The

latter is adaptable for ejectingcorks ofdifferent sizes, it only being necessary to remove or replace the inclosing sleeve thereof'to accommodate the plunger to the size of the corks upon which the machine is operating. It will be seen, therefore, that a corking-machine equipped with my improvements has a Wider range of action than when adapted for operating on corks of but a single size.

I claim as my inventionl. In a corking-machine, in combination, a stand or support, a corl-compressing device having means to accommodate corks of different sizes, and a single plunger for ejecting the corks from such device after they are compressed thereby, said compressing device and plunger having a relative lateral adjustment.

2. In a corling-machine, in combination, a stand or support, a cork-compressing device movable transversely thereon and having a plurality of spaces to accommodate corks of different sizes, and a plunger constructed to be adapted to eject corlis of different sizes from said device.

3. In a corking-machine, in combination, a stand or support having a transverse guide- Way,a cork-compressor movable in such guide- Way having openings` of different sizes, a

plunger, and means for varying the diameter thereof according to the sizes of the corls upon which the machine is operating.

4. In combination, a stand or support having a transverse guideway, a compressor-frame movable therein, spaced-apart rolls mounted in said frame with unequal intervening spaces between them, and a plunger havingaremovable encircling sleeve.

5. The combination with the shiftable compressor having spaces to accommodate corls of different sizes, of a plunger of size corresponding to one of such spaces and having a sleeve removably fitted thereon conforming to the other of such spaces, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM E. BROWN Witnesses:

CHAs. B. WARREN, W. E. BLOGHEN. 

